La biblia y el calefón
Lágrimas de hombre
Gracias a Dios, soy ateo; aunque cada cuatro años, cuando se juega el mundial de fútbol, parezco politeísta. Por periodos de noventa minutos me convenzo de la conexión divina entre la pantalla de la tele, mis gritos y súplicas, y los dioses del fútbol argentino que me miran desde el techo.
Según el sociólogo en religión, Fortunato Mallianci, el número de ateos va en ascenso en Argentina. Sin embargo, otro estudio realizado por la multinacional P&G, reveló que los argentinos son los más cabuleros de América Latina. De esta relación entre lo sagrado y lo pagano es que nacen las cábalas; y para aquellos que no están familiarizados con esta palabra, según la Real Academia Española, es el conjunto de doctrinas teosóficas basadas en la Biblia, que, a través de un método esotérico de interpretación y transmitidas por vía de iniciación, pretende revelar a los iniciados doctrinas ocultas acerca de Dios y del mundo. En pocas palabras, son las curiosas prácticas habituales (locuras, diría mi abuela) para darle suerte a nuestro equipo.
Digo nuestro equipo porque yo soy uno de esos “locos” del fútbol. Yo no digo hoy juega Argentina, digo hoy jugamos; aunque la frase necesite más contexto viviendo fuera del país. Soy uno de esos que no lava la camiseta hasta el final del mundial, que no se afeita si ganamos el primer partido, que cruza los dedos cuando pateamos un penal y hace cuernitos cuando nos toca atajar, que nunca festeja o se da por vencido hasta que oficialmente se acaba el partido, aunque vaya en contra de toda lógica.
Es que no se trata de lógica, se trata de influenciar la suerte. En esto no sólo el espectador participa, es algo que todo el plantel toma en serio. Desde los colectivos que llevan a los jugadores, repitiendo la misma ruta, parando en los mismos semáforos (aunque estén en verde), y escuchando la misma música camino a la cancha; hasta los mismos jugadores que besan con la misma devoción tanto cruces como amuletos. Locura, en este contexto, sería no respetar las cábalas. Esta relación divino-pagana no es una exclusividad argentina, pero está muy arraigada en la cultura del país. Quizás su mayor exponente se encuentre en la letra de “Cambalache”, un tango de Enrique Santos Discépolo que inmortalizó la frase “ves llorar a la biblia junto al calefón”, haciendo referencia a la costumbre de colgar una biblia debajo del calefón (que en esa época solía estar en el baño) y utilizar sus hojas como papel higiénico.
Pero volviendo al fútbol, donde en Argentina las cábalas se vuelven místicas, cabe destacar los innumerables paralelos con la religión. Los domingos, mi abuela se iba a la iglesia y mi abuelo a la cancha. Los dos se juntaban con una multitud de fanáticos para adorar a sus ídolos, cantar a coro, y rogar por un milagro. A veces, hasta lloraban de alegría, se abrazaban con perfectos desconocidos, y peregrinaban de vuelta a su casa pensando en volver la semana entrante. No es casualidad que el primer gol de Argentina a Inglaterra en el mundial de 1986 se lo conozca como la mano de Dios.
Como muchas costumbres folclóricas, las cábalas se pasan de generación en generación sin seguir reglas formales; es decir, cada uno tiene la suya. La mía, tiene su origen el 22 de junio de 1986, el día del gol con la mano. Cuatro minutos después del gol más pecaminoso de Maradona, llegó el más milagroso. Fue una gloriosa jugada que bautizaron como el mejor gol del siglo. Cuando el relator, Víctor Hugo Morales, dijo: “arranca por la derecha el genio del fútbol mundial”, fue como un presagio de lo que venía. Yo miré a mi papá como buscando una explicación, y lo vi con la boca entreabierta y una mirada de niño. Sin despegar los ojos de la pantalla alcanzó a murmurar: “mirá, Pablito”; siempre se lo voy a agradecer. Fueron diez segundos que me marcaron para siempre. Cuando la pelota llegó al fondo de la red y parecía rebotar contra el cartel verde de FujiFilm detrás del arco inglés, a mis ocho años no entendía bien todo lo que sentía. Tenía una alegría enorme, pero también un nudo en la garganta. Se me aguaron los ojos y agaché la cabeza para que nadie me vea llorar. Entonces, Víctor Hugo acabó el relato diciendo, “Gracias, Dios. Por el fútbol, por Maradona, por estas lágrimas, por este Argentina 2, Inglaterra 0”, y me terminó de quebrar. Cuando levanté la cabeza secándome la cara y esperando las burlas, mi papá mirándome con orgullo me dijo, “esas son lágrimas de hombre”.
El último mundial que pudimos ver juntos fue el del 2006. Después, él se enfermó (cáncer de pulmón), y aunque compré los pasajes con mucha anticipación para darle ánimo, no llegó al del 2010. El 22 de junio de ese año, antes del partido con Grecia, me encerré en el baño a mirar desde mi teléfono aquel gol de Maradona para sentirlo cerca, y funcionó. Ganamos dos a cero. Desde entonces, antes de los partidos importantes me encierro en el baño a llorar lágrimas de hombre.
Después de la tormenta, ¿vendrá la calma?
Una mano amiga para el futuro incierto de los inquilinos
Lovett Branch respiró hondo.
El último mensaje había sido intenso y necesitaba reponerse antes de devolver la llamada. El teléfono seguía sonando sin parar. Aunque no sabía quién estaba al otro lado de la línea, podía adivinar con precisión que esa persona necesitaba su ayuda. Ella no es psíquica, ni tiene la capa roja de un superhéroe; pero para muchos inquilinos de Albany es lo que más se asemeja.
Branch trabaja respondiendo a los mensajes que dejan en el la línea directa de Inquilinos Unidos de Albany (UTA por sus siglas en inglés), una organización comunitaria sin fines de lucro que trabaja para mejorar las condiciones de la vivienda, tanto en términos de reparaciones como en temas de los derechos de los inquilinos.
Antes de la pandemia, en las oficinas de UTA se recibían diariamente entre 40 y 60 llamadas de personas preocupadas por caseros abusivos, la devolución de los depósitos de seguridad, y muchas otras inquietudes relacionadas a la vivienda. Pero cuando la pandemia forzó el encierro en nuestros hogares, las cosas empeoraron. El número de llamadas se duplicó, y ahora Branch respondía las llamadas desde el teléfono de su casa.
“Fue todo tan loco”, dijo Branch refiriéndose a los primeros meses de la pandemia. Después agregó, “es todo muy loco, y las cosas van a empeorar cuando todo esto termine”.
Tras el fin de la moratoria de desalojos en Nueva York, las cortes de la vivienda reanudarán su actividad exponiendo a miles de inquilinos a perder sus hogares. En el área metropolitana de la ciudad de Nueva York, 66% de los adultos latinos viven en un hogar que experimentó una pérdida de ingresos laborales desde mediados de marzo, cuando se produjeron cierres obligatorios en la región; convirtiéndolo en el grupo que sufrió el mayor impacto (en comparación con el 51% de los adultos blancos, el 56% de los negros, y el 58% de los asiáticos).
Laura Felt es la directora ejecutiva de UTA y dice que la moratoria de desalojos se ha utilizado en todo el país para mitigar y evitar la propagación del virus en los albergues para desamparados. “No era lo que exigimos y creíamos que era necesario y humano. Pero aún es importante ver que cuando luchamos por algo, podemos conseguirlo”.
Branch , por su lado, dice que hay propietarios que son buenos y no quieren dejar a sus inquilinos en la calle, pero son los menos. Además, si desalojan las viviendas, no saben cuándo podrán volver a rentar esas unidades vacías. Entonces, muchos de ellos se encuentran en este dilema: “¿desalojo a los inquilinos que no pagaron y no recibo ingresos mientras espero volver a alquilar la unidad, o trabajo con los inquilinos existentes?” La verdad es que, en muchos casos, la moratoria de desalojo es un remedio que a la larga es peor que la enfermedad.
Luego de la última extensión, la moratoria federal vence en agosto, lo que podría obligar a las personas que deben alquiler atrasado a perder sus hogares. A pesar de que es difícil saber cuánto se debe en rentas atrasadas, ya que no se dispone de datos de alta calidad, se estima que la deuda puede superar los 52 mil millones de dólares. Este número sigue creciendo, mientras las posibilidades de pagar esa deuda disminuyen cada vez más.
“Yo trato de negociar y ser un intermediario”, dice Branch. Luego agrega con un tono de resignación, “a veces, todo lo que puedo hacer, es todo lo que puedo hacer. Es muy frustrante porque me gusta lo que hago”.
Lovett tiene una forma de hablar muy expresiva. Usa pausas y cambios de tonos que ayudan a quienes la llaman por teléfono a imaginarse la cara y los gestos que hace al hablar. Cuando habla de las veces que los inquilinos la llaman para contarle las novedades, o agradecerle por su ayuda, se le escucha con entusiasmo y parece que está sonriendo de oreja a oreja. Branch tiene un rostro que de inmediato pareciera familiar, con una combinación de pómulos altos, una sonrisa eterna, y unos ojos sabios.
Cuando Branch habla sobre el futuro de los inquilinos su voz baja de ritmo y hace una pausa larga mientras busca alguna respuesta. Branch dice que lo que más le preocupa no es que las personas terminen en un refugio para desamparados. El problema, según Branch, es que no hay suficientes refugios en Albany para todas esas personas.“Ahora es mejor que se pongan a buscar refugios donde poner a toda esa gente. Acá en Albany, la gran mayoría de los refugios están destinados para hombres solteros, cuando la mayoría de las personas en riesgo de perder sus hogares son mujeres con hijos”.
Dice Branch que eso es lo que le quita el sueño. Tiene miedo de salir de su oficina y encontrarse familias con sus hijos durmiendo en la calle. Albany tiene solo tres refugios para mujeres, lo que presenta un panorama poco alentador.
Según Julia Ofman, quien trabaja para Family Homelessness Coalition, tomar conciencia de la gravedad del problema es vital para que la opinión pública pueda influir directamente en la cantidad de dinero disponible para ayudar a esta causa. Muchos no saben que casi el 70% de los usuarios de refugios para personas sin hogar de la ciudad de Nueva York son familias con niños y la gran mayoría de estas familias están encabezadas por madres solteras, según el Departamento de Servicios para Personas sin Hogar.
Un estudio de 2019 Tasi, Lee, Shen, Southwick y Peitrzak (2019) encontró que el 88% de las personas creen que los problemas de salud conducen al desamparo. A diferencia de lo que la mayoría de la gente piensa, el desalojo es más bien una situación que genera problemas de salud.
El Departamento de Educación informó que 14,549 estudiantes de pre kínder y jardín de infantes no tenían hogar en la ciudad de Nueva York en algún momento del año escolar pasado.
Este último dato es preocupante ya que, según la Asociación Estadounidense de Psicología, la falta de vivienda es traumática para todos, pero especialmente para los niños porque “enfrentan serias amenazas a su capacidad para triunfar y su bienestar futuro. De particular preocupación son los problemas de salud, el hambre, la mala nutrición, los retrasos en el desarrollo, la ansiedad, la depresión, los problemas de conducta y el bajo rendimiento educativo”, lo que crea un círculo vicioso que se transmite a las generaciones futuras.
Lo único alentador de este panorama parece ser que existen personas como Lovett, que estarán ahí, del otro lado de la línea telefónica esperando con interminable paciencia, siempre listas para contagiar sonrisas y transformarse en lo que la gente necesita.
“Cuándo me llaman y me preguntan: Sra. Lovett, ¿cómo hago esto, o cómo hago aquello?, a veces me encuentro siendo más que la operadora de la línea directa. Soy una defensora de los inquilinos, una trabajadora social…y bueno… una mano amiga”
The lasting impact of the eviction moratorium
The uncertain future after the health crisis
How did we get here?
The coronavirus pandemic sparked a global health crisis, but it also triggered an economic crisis. The closure of businesses, schools and offices was imminent. As a direct consequence, and according to the most recent report by the International Labor Organization, it is estimated that millions of people lost their jobs or saw a significant reduction in their economic income. By the end of 2020, according to census data, more than 8 million properties nationwide were in arrears in rent payments; an average of $ 5,600 per unit. On December 18, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law known as "The Moratorium on Evictions and Foreclosure." This law prevents residential evictions, foreclosure proceedings, and negative credit reports related to the pandemic. The moratorium on evictions, which initially expired on March 31, had 3 extensions in the last 3 months: the first, until April 30; the second, until June 30; and the most recent, gives an extension until August 31. Although this date is not final yet, the discovery and rapid distribution of the vaccines ensure that the moratorium will be lifted this summer.
Housing advocates predict a wave of evictions and consequently a significant increase in homelessness. "If we don't find a way to keep people in their homes, it will unleash the worst housing crisis this generation has ever seen," says Erin Kelly, co-founder and director of RxHome, an organization that seeks to solve the problem of the homeless in New York City. "There are definitely not enough shelters for all the people in danger of losing their homes," he added.
Today, nearly 70% of New York City homeless shelter users are families with children, and the vast majority of them are headed by single mothers, according to the Department of Homeless Services.
The (d)effects of the moratorium:
Although the eviction moratorium was necessary and provided the benefits already mentioned, it also presented the typical side effects of some medicines; and in some cases, the remedy was worse than the disease.
The first difficulty that this measure presented was the tension it caused between the tenants and their landlords. Although there are federal funds earmarked for past-due rents, both tenants and landlords need to fill out forms and submit documents to make use of these funds. According to Lovett Branch of United Tenants of Albany (UTA), among the many complaints they receive daily, there are a large number of cases that present the same dilemma: “Tenants don't want to fill out the forms until the landlords make the necessary repairs, and landlords argue that they cannot make repairs until they receive government funding, ”says Branch.
Another difficulty is the disproportionate impact on undocumented communities and the misinformation regarding the help available. The new $ 2.4 billion state rent relief program will go live. But tenant advocates and legislators speculate that a percentage of undocumented people will not use this help due to lack of information. Under the "public charge rule," immigrants who have received certain forms of government assistance, or who may receive such benefits in the future, can be considered a "public charge" and are prohibited from obtaining a green card. However, on March 9, 2021, the Seventh Circuit lifted its suspension and the United States District Court ordered nullifying the Final Public Charge Rule.
Two-thirds of adults from immigrant families were aware of the public charge rule and believed they understood it. However, only 22.7 percent knew that it does not apply to citizenship applications, and only 19.1 percent were aware that enrolling in Medicaid is not considered a public charge.
UTA community organizer Adrian Hill says that sometimes landlords prefer to evict tenants rather than pay off the debt after months of tension and arguing. The law does not protect the tenant in a situation like this.
The moratorium produced a debt that in many cases is impossible to pay, and at the same time erodes the relationship between tenants and their landlords.
Hill added that, "some landlords have gone to the length of calling the IRS to ask if their tenants have received stimulus checks, which is clearly illegal."
The uneven battle in housing courts:
The attorneys provided by the state are called public defenders and are the ones who, in most cases (in addition to the villains of Law and Order), defend tenants in housing court. It can be deduced that if tenants are being taken to court for not paying rent, they probably can't afford a private attorney either.
The biggest problem, according to a study published in the New York Times, is the low number of public defenders in relation to the number of lawsuits, which means that they do not have adequate time to prepare. An empirical study of the effectiveness of public defenders by Morris Hoffman concluded that a case is more likely to be lost by being represented by a public defender.
Andy Aujla is the director of advocacy and external affairs for Communities Resist, a non-profit organization that provides legal support to tenants. He says it is important to inform tenants of their rights, but that help within the courtroom is even more necessary due to the disparity between public defenders and private attorneys.
Virtual hearings represent a new hurdle in housing courts. In an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus at eviction hearings, proceedings are carried out via Zoom, Webex, or even over the phone.
According to a CNBC report, remote evictions, which occur via video platforms such as Zoom or WebEx, often deprive tenants of their legal rights, housing advocates say. Participants are frequently muted. Internet connection problems are common. Multiple tenants appear on the screen at the same time.
The limited availability of interpreters is another factor that hinders equal opportunities in virtual courts. Interpreters are guaranteed for face-to-face hearings, but for virtual hearings they are only provided if one is available and the interested party requests it two days in advance. It should be noted that requests for interpreters are made through the Court's website, which is difficult when defendants do not have access to a computer or do not know how to navigate the page, which is mostly designed in English.
The situation in homeless shelters:
Kadisha David, 32, lives in an apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with her daughter. But in 2017, she experienced a difficult situation with her landlord who went from daily arguments to a housing court to be evicted. Even after winning her case, the relationship became even more hostile to the point of becoming an unsafe place to live with her daughter. He had no choice but to seek shelter in a homeless shelter.
"People think that those who live in shelters are lazy and want to make a living off the government," David said. "But the truth is that anyone can experience a situation where the only way out is to sleep in a shelter."
According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, it is likely that a large number of families, by the end of 2021, will find themselves in the same situation due to the end of the moratorium on evictions. It is worth noting the especially precarious situation of minority groups. A December 2020 study published in Sociological Science showed that landlords file eviction lawsuits against black and Latino tenants, especially women with their children, more frequently than against single men.
The DOE reported that 14,549 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students were homeless in New York City at some point in the 2020 school year.
Notably, according to the American Psychological Association, homelessness is traumatic for everyone, but especially for children because “they face serious threats to their ability to succeed and their future well-being. Of particular concern are health problems, hunger, poor nutrition, developmental delays, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems and poor educational performance ”, creating a vicious cycle that is transmitted to the future generations.
"The crisis of homeless families has been intensifying for years, and the pandemic and economic recession are pushing more families to the brink," said Raysa Rodríguez, associate executive director of the Citizens Committee for Children, an organization who is part of the Homeless Coalition.
In reality, the underlying problem goes beyond the precarious situation in the shelters. According to a Gothamist report, last November, only 500 of the 1,900 families who requested to stay in a homeless shelter were deemed eligible. Homeless families have been able to stay in shelters during the pandemic even when they were turned away due to a special rule instituted by the city. However, tenant advocates say families who have been turned away remain in limbo, not knowing how long they will be able to stay and unable to qualify for subsidies normally offered to homeless families.
An example that can illustrate this situation clearly is that there are only three shelters for women and children in Albany, the capital city of New York State. These shelters are already at full capacity. Tracy, the hotline operator at one of these shelters, says the situation is especially alarming because not only are the shelters at capacity, but also the hotels that are used to host families seeking shelter. “To this day, we don't know what we are going to do to help all the families who might need a roof this summer,” Tracy said.
Using reverse-engineering to support disadvantaged communities
Helping communities with a different approach.
On the Lower East Side, Avenue D seems to separate the orange, exposed brick buildings of NYCHA from the smaller buildings that gentrification was able to reach.
One of those contemporary-looking buildings belongs to the Lower East Side Girls' Club, a community center that focuses on shrinking that division.
Laila, 15, lives on a third floor on 40 Avenue D. She was born and raised in Lillian Wald Houses, one of the NYCHA developments, and the pandemic impacted her family finances.
Her father works as a line cook in a restaurant that had to reduce its hours because of the lockdown restrictions. Last summer, she got involved in an LES Girls' Club program, where she found a new love for music, especially singing.
Now, she wants to continue attending this workshop to share tips with other girls and actively search for a college-level music program.
"I came here because I didn't know what to do after finishing high school. Due to the Coronavirus, my parents are working fewer hours, and it's been stressful at home. But in this place, I'm learning about what I like," she says.
While exploring various options for her future, she was able to manage her stress better.
Laila is not an isolated case. Studies show that "[…] many of these children struggle academically, do not complete high school, and have spotty employment as young adults."
These groups, predominantly minorities, also have a greater risk of falling into the criminal justice system.
Source: "Child Poverty and Adult Success" by Caroline Ratcliffe
The Lower East Side Girls' Club is one of eight community-based organizations taking part in a 24-month research project that started in January called Confident Futures. Their goal is to help disadvantaged communities, but what is innovative about this project is how they are planning to do it: using reverse-engineering.
Although this term may be intimidating, it has been widely used: from the military to copy other nations' technology to companies trying to replicate a product from the competition. It means taking something apart, studying how it works, and creating something that does the same thing.
This research project aims to apply this concept to study small community-based organizations that successfully provide the services their communities need. Once they understand how and why they work, they can show the model to other similar organizations.
The key to their success seems to be their size. While more prominent organizations have more funds at their disposition, they have to go through a lengthy, administrative process to allocate them. Smaller organizations can adapt faster and react almost immediately to their constituency's needs.
Due to the new challenges of the pandemic, instead of meeting in person at the end of the year to share their work, each organization produces a multimedia piece highlighting their approaches to reach struggling communities successfully.
These initiatives focus on engaging youth and providing more self-confidence through various art, culture, and sports programs. They also help their access to the labor market and expand their social networks while focusing on a wide range of ages, from kindergarten to high schoolers.
"The word affirmation comes up so often, and it is key to healing and advancing for individual girls, and also for the group," says Rayna Rapp, an NYU researcher, and a "Confident Futures" organizer.
Through this research project, they are also connecting other small agencies within New York City and Amsterdam. They all recognize that adolescence holds a crucial role in the evolution from childhood to maturity.
According to an article published by Harvard University, "…it is a time of rapid physical and cognitive growth, second only to the first two years of life in the amount of change that takes place in a short time span."
The selected youth initiatives use arts, sports, and other means of self and group enhancement. A good example is "Rambler," a group based in Amsterdam that focuses on streetwise designers and fashion. (click here to see the video.)
"Yes, I was lazy at first. Honestly, I thought it was a phase. Maybe a few weeks or months. Then I'm out of here," says Albertino, a participant of Rambler. "When I got here, I was expecting a guy in a suit. […] But he looked like me, and that made me feel like I could be successful too."
They have workshops that provide a vital moment of exploration and recognition for their creativity. A workshop is a safe place for them to explore the creativity that could awaken a productive future.
At the end of the 24 months, Confident Futures will produce academic papers the organizations will use to apply for city grants. So far, the only funds they received from the researchers were used to develop the multimedia pieces.
Although the more tangible results of this innovative research are still months or even years in the future, these small organizations have gained visibility to keep helping the local kids.
"What I found at Ifetayo (another of the participant agencies) was a community in alignment with the community I grew up in within Black Brooklyn in the '70s and '80s," said Naima Oyo, mother of one of the kids attending the organization. "It sounded like something that I wanted for my son—I was a young mother at the time, and I decided to enroll my son in the programs when he was about 2 years old.
Today, Naima Oyo is the newly hired executive director of Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy.
“I am glad I did," she said.
Hoping for the best
Changing the perception is the first step towards a solution
Back in 2017, like many New Yorkers, Kadisha David’s alarm clock went off at 5 a.m. to start a frantic routine.
She woke her daughter, prepared breakfast and dressed her for school. Then she rushed to take an overcrowded train from Brooklyn to Manhattan, and then to Queens, where she used to work.
The only difference from most New Yorkers is that she didn’t have a place to call home.
Today, David, 32, lives in an apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and can raise her daughter in a stable home.
But back then, she said she experienced a difficult situation with her landlady that went from arguments to being taken to housing court. After winning her case, David said the relationship turned even more hostile, to the point of becoming unsafe to live with her daughter.
David said she had no other option than to go to a shelter.
“People think those who live in shelters are lazy and want to live from the government,” David said. “But the truth is that anybody can experience a situation where the only option is to sleep in a shelter, even if you have a job.”
The number of families experiencing homelessness could trend upward in the months to come. The end of the eviction moratorium -- which has provided relief in the wake of increased unemployment because of the pandemic -- could leave thousands of tenants exposed to evictions and potential homelessness.
According to NYC Open Data, in the first months of 2019, an average of 2,600 families per month sought shelter in the city. This number is likely to increase by the end of 2021.
Some communities of color have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. But the virus in many ways exposed existing social inequalities that already existed.
A new study published in Sociological Science, for example, showed that landlords file for eviction against Black and Latinx renters—especially women in those groups—at higher rates than against their white and male counterparts.
Chart from Eviction Lab
As a response to the chronic homelessness problem in New York City, a group of 16 organizations has formed the Family Homelessness Coalition. They present a united front of services aimed at preventing family homelessness, improving the conditions in shelters, and supporting the long-term stability of families who already left the shelter system.
Through their campaign, “Portraits of Hope,” they are raising awareness and trying to “create a space for these stories, and elevate the voices of those who have experienced family homelessness with the public, the press and elected officials,” said Julia Ofman, who works with the coalition.
Awareness is vital because public opinion about people struggling with homelessness can directly influence the amount of money available to help those causes, the organization argues. Many are not aware that almost 70% of New York City homeless shelter users are families with children and the vast majority of those are headed by single mothers, according to the Department of Homeless Services.
The city Department of Education also reported that 14,549 pre-K and kindergarten students were homeless in New York City at some point last school year.
A recent study by Tasi, Lee, Shen, Southwick, & Peitrzak (2019) found that up to 88% of people believe health issues cause homelessness. As opposed to what most people think, eviction is a consequence of health issues, but also a cause, according to the study.
The American Psychological Association said homelessness is traumatic for everyone but especially for children because “they confront serious threats to their ability to succeed and their future well-being.”
“Of particular concern are health problems, hunger, poor nutrition, developmental delays, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and educational underachievement,” the association said, adding that it creates a vicious cycle passed onto future generations.
The Family Homelessness Coalition is a group of organizations with the common objective of preventing family homelessness, and improving the well-being of children and families in shelters.
“The family homelessness crisis has been escalating for years, and the pandemic and economic downturn are pushing even more families to the brink,” said Raysa Rodriguez, associate executive director of the Citizens’ Committee for Children, a co-convening organization of the Family Homelessness Coalition.
David and her daughter lived in a shelter for over a year before getting their own apartment.
“It was really, really hard,” she recalled. “But you have to keep your head up. Don’t let anybody make you feel like you are less than a person when you’re not.”